UPDATE, Friday, Aug. 20: Public Health has given Pho Thien Long the all-clear to reopen. Here’s a summary of work done and work being done, from today’s health inspection report:

Facility has cleaned impacted surfaces and utensils, is using sanitizer stations to sanitize working food contact surfaces, has cleaned floors and walls impacted by infestation, and has contracted with pest control service who has begun cockroach and mouse treatments.

Facility will make the following corrections for long term exclusion and control of mice and cockroaches:

• Replace improperly fitted rear door and threshold, replace soffit vent screening, seal open wall penetrations around pipes at rear of facility, and trim back tree overhanging the roof. These corrections must be completed by 9/1/21 as noted on reinspection dated 8/18/21.
• Continue to contract with pest control operator for at least weekly service. Submit pest control reports to this office weekly until further notice.
• Clean all food debris from floors, walls and equipment each night.
• Facility will conduct a professional deep clean service to remove hard to clean, built up grease that has stuck to some wall sections, rear of cooking equipment and portions of floors. This should be completed by 9/17/21.
• Replace janitorial sink with properly installed and fitted unit and close wall voids in janitorial cubby. By 9/1/21, you must submit sink and faucet specifications/plan to this department for pre-approval. The repairs must then be completed by 9/17/21.

Your food facility permit is now reinstated. Continued operation is contingent on making the above corrections within time frames. DEH may conduct billable reinspections as needed to verify continued compliance with these parts.

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Pho Thien Long, a popular Vietnamese restaurant on Fourth Street in Eureka, was shut down earlier today by the Environmental Health Division of the county health department after a routine inspection revealed a number of health code violations, including evidence of mouse and cockroach infestation. 

The restaurant’s food service permit was suspended and the owner, Sonny Nguyen, has been instructed to remedy the infestation before the permit will be reinstated.

The inspection report says, “Mouse feces and chew marks [were] observed throughout the facility,” including on countertops, behind dining booths, on the drinks station counter and windowsills, inside cabinets and elsewhere.

“Also observed was an active cockroach infestation as evidenced by live adults, nymphs, empty egg cases, full egg cases, and dead adult and nymphs,” the report states.

There was a total of seven health code violations recorded in the inspection report, though the others were decidedly less icky: One of two hand-washing stations lacked hot water, for example, and a dishwashing machine had run out of sanitizing solution.

The restaurant had some household pesticides and boric acid on hand — apparently for use in trying to rid the place of cockroaches — but the health department requires restaurants to use pesticides that have been specifically approved for food facilities.

The county has ordered Pho Thien Long to come into compliance by Monday.

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DOCUMENT: Official Inspection Report